LSIWC wins the Bio-Based Industries Open Innovation Competition

The Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry has been announced as the winner of the first round of the 2025 Open Innovation Competition, organized by the Bio-based Industries Consortium (BIC)!

Our team’s proposed solution focuses on the creative and sustainable valorisation of softwood bark – a byproduct of Metsä Group’s industrial operations. After a thorough evaluation of all submitted proposals, BIC and Metsä Group recognized that the concept submitted by our researcher, Dr. chem. Māris Lauberts, was the most outstanding (*).

“We received many interesting solutions, but only one winner could be selected. We are now happy to announce that the winner is the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry. Congratulations to the LSIWC team for their brilliant application!” stated BIC in their official announcement.

Metsä Group particularly praised Dr. Māris Lauberts’ proposal for its:

  • highly innovative approach,
  • clearly structured and reliable work plan,
  • convincing presentation.

As part of this achievement, LSIWC will receive €10,000 (€5,000 from Metsä Group and €5,000 from BIC) to develop a proof-of-concept for the proposed solution.

This success is a strong recognition of LSIWC’s scientific excellence and innovation potential at the European level.

About Metsä Group
  • Total revenue: EUR 5.7 billion
  • Employees: 9,600
  • Ownership: Over 90,000 Finnish forest owners (Metsäliitto Cooperative)
  • International presence: Operations in over 30 countries
  • Focus areas: Renewable resources, circular bioeconomy, and sustainable packaging solutions

We are proud of our colleague Dr. Māris Lauberts and his outstanding achievement!

(*) Description of the solution developed by Dr. Māris Lauberts

Related articles

LSIWC’s Solution to the Metsä Challenge – A Demonstration of LSIWC's Research Potential in Softwood Bark Valorisation

On May 13, 2025, Dr. sc.ing. Uģis Cābulis, Scientific Director of the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry (LSIWC), and Dr. chem. Māris Lauberts, the leading researcer of the Laboratory of Lignin Chemistry participated in an online meeting with experts from Metsä Group – one of Europe’s leading forest industry companies. The meeting was held as part of the BIC Open Innovation Challenge, where Metsä had issued a scientific call to find new, sustainable and high-value applications for softwood bark. The solution proposed by Dr. Māris Lauberts was selected as one of the most promising, and...

Victory in an international innovation competition!

Senior researcher at the Lignin Chemistry Laboratory, Dr.chem. Māris Lauberts, has won the international Metsä Group Challenge, organised by the Finnish forest industry company in collaboration with the Bio-Based Industries Consortium (BIC). Metsä Group particularly appreciated: the genuine novelty of the proposed approach, the credibility of the workplan, and the clarity of the presentation. This win highlights the ability of LSIWC researchers to develop practical and sustainable solutions in the field of bioeconomy. The next step is to implement a proof-of-concept (PoC) in collaboration with...
Māris Lauberts

Dr. chem. Māris Lauberts

Member of the Scientific Council
Leading Researcher
maris.lauberts@kki.lv